On Friday, July 22 local citizens and leaders had an opportunity to meet with state officials to discuss statewide reapportionment/redistricting. At the invitation of Georgia Representative Tommy Smith (R-Nichols, represents Appling), the Chairman of the Georgia House/Senate Committee established for reapportionment Rep. Roger Lane (R - Darien) was in attendance to discuss the topic at hand.

Many in the community, including this newspaper, have expressed concern about Smith’s district (House District 168) and the potential of Appling being divided into different districts. On Friday Smith made his feelings known by going on the record with Lane and the citizens present at the meeting that during this approaching redistricting process he would like to see Appling, Bacon, and Jeff Davis counties put together to potentially form a new district. Rep. Smith stated that the three communities would fall just short on the needed population for the per district population figures, but expressed that the three communities could be put together with another adjoining area to establish the district. Smith stated that he believes that these counties are like-minded and share many common interests and goals such as the Tri-County Development Authority.

Lane thanked Smith for the opportunity to speak to constituents in his district about the process. Rep. Lane explained that every ten years the state has to consider redistricting across the state to coincide with changes in population as a result of the Census and to also coincide with the U.S. Voting Rights Act. Lane stated that Georgia experienced an 18 percent growth in population from the 2000 Census to the 2010 Census. Unfortunately, he explained, that most of this growth was not in South Georgia and accordingly this would result in the loss of some Georgia House of Representative seats in the southern portion of the state. Lane stated that most of these changes would be made in the southwestern portion of the state, but did say that there was the potential of one seat in the southeastern portion being eliminated.

Chairman Lane expressed that Appling is not unlike every other county in the state. He stated that every county shares the same concerns and want to see their communities stay in tact. The only assurance that was offered by Lane was that the legislative committee would do its very best to try to keep communities whole within district lines. Baxley City Manager Jeff Baxley asked Lane if the committee had any drafts of the proposed districts and Lane reported that at this point the committee doesn’t have any drafts available, adding that they would be available in the coming month.

(Editor’s note: The News-Banner would like to express our gratitude to Representatives Smith and Lane for giving the community an opportunity to at least express concerns about this process.)

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